Gragnano Tagliatelle ai Funghi {tagliatelle pasta with mushrooms}

Another italian classic: Tagliatelle ai Funghi. The autumN flavor of mushrooms meets the delicacy of a long, flat pasta. Definitely one of my favourite main, a dish that delivers a great taste whether the pasta is made with durum wheat semolina or eggs. Preparing a great mushroom sauce isn’t difficult at all, it’s all about good quality ingredients.

I was lucky enough to quickly shop at “Capodichino” Airport in Naples and bring with me these Tagliatelle from Gragnano, a town near Naples probably founded around 89 AD in a hilly area made extraordinarily ​​fertile by the presence of volcanic debris.

The symbol of this city is via Roma. This road was specially designed to be the best natural pasta drying space. Old pictures taken at the beginning of the 1900 show this road cluttered with rows of barrels of spaghetti dried in the open air. Yet very year inhabitants of Gragnano celebrate the Feast of Pasta to relive the moments when people hung the pasta to dry on their balconies.

Rinse briefly the mushrooms under running cold water to remove excess soil. Slice or dice them.

Wash the basil, select the leaves and chop finely.

Peel the shallots and chop it finely.

Put them in a pan the oil and bring it on the fire. Saute' gently until they you will be well golden, Then add the mushrooms, let them cook for two minutes, pour over the white wine. Cook for a few minutes over high heat, add a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of chopped basil, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Boil tagliatelle in salted water, just before you drain the pasta add half a ladle of the cooking water in the sauce pan where mushrooms, add chopped parsley.

Saute' the drained tagliatelle in the pan on high heat for a few minutes. Stir frequently.

Serve immediately with a generous sprinkling of pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley.